EH-Net is exploring the idea of hosting a security event in Chicago named ChicagoCon, and we need your feedback. We're considering launching ChicagoCon this fall (early Sept 2007) and/or next Spring (April 2008) in one of the following formats:

- 5-Day Work Week Event: This format would contain a collection of boot camps M-F including CEH/CNDA, CPTS, ECSA, CPTE, Security+, CISSP, CHFI and SCP (list due to change). Each morning before class, we would have keynotes by our columnists and friends of EH-Net. Lunch would be provided for the students. After class we would have evening keynotes and presentations with hacker competitions to follow. Both students and outside attendees are invited to the evening sessions.

- 2-Day Weekend Event: This format would have all of the features of the Week Long Event minus the boot camps. We would just squeeze the keynotes, presentations and contests into a 2 or 3 day schedule.

- Combination: We could combine the aspects of both to have a 7 day event.

For either format, we are also considering an exhibit hall where the free lunch will be held. The exhibitors would not be allowed to approach the lunch tables but be able to have small booths around the perimeter of the lunch room.

Price for the boot camps would be competitive with other boot camp providers. Price for the evening sessions and hacker contests would be minimal. We're thinking under $100 and maybe free if we get sponsors and enough attendees.

Wonderful idea. It's a pity I can't attend though. Sorry, but this is 9 timezones away from me, and there's no way I could get my work to pay for something like that, nor get the offtime. Besides that I'd have to start organizing my visa for the USA now in order to get their by September.

CEH, CCSA NG/AI, NNCSS, MCP, MCSA 2003

There are 10 kinds of people, those that understand binary, and those that don't.

EH-Net members always get special treatment, and this event would be no different.

Autographed pic from little ol' me? Yeah... that might be worth a few cents on ebay someday. I'm laughing with ya, Kev.

Would September be too early to put this all together? Being in Chicago, I'd hate to force anyone to go through our winter, so then it would have to wait until 1+ year from now. Sept is awesome in Chicago... still warm, lakefront is great, baseball on both sides of town, football just starting, food to die for and it's away from security juggernauts like SANS, RSA, Black Hat and DefCon. Can't think of any other shows that might take away from our crowd. CES is not then. What else is there that I should worry about?

I think the 5-day idea is a good option, 7 is a long week, and 2 might be too short.

I would personally prefer shorter than 5, maybe 3-4, like a Sun-Tue/Wed or a Wed/Thur-Sat. This way you don't take a whole week from work, and it still gives enough time to take an 'accelerated' type course if available.

As for dates, I think September is possible. The only thing I see happening that may be of concern (if any) would be this thing: Security Standard - Chicago. Other than that, should be fine.

I think 5 day is too enough.Start : Monday and finish : Friday .Weeken we can go out and visit somewhere together.But Chicago too far for me.Some people who's visited can take photo or make a film and then post to forum.So member can see What's happening?

As everyone else is commenting id also say 5 days would be fair enough but if it could be shorten to 3-4 days then it would be much better i think. but sad thing is Chicago is far off my limits too. hope much of these events are held near our area (South Asia region)

- If we only did keynotes, presentations, hacker contests, etc, I think 2 days is plenty and scheduling the 2 days on a weekend would be preferable to most.- In order to include security boot camps, you MUST reserve 5 days. Most people who have done boot camps are already comfortable with the fact that boot camps are a M-F event. So if the entire Con was only 5 days including bot camps, then we would have to squeeze the keynotes in the morning before class and the presentations and contests in the evenings. Those are some loooooooong days.- But if we want the students to concentrate on studies completely (and have time to sleep), and then also participate in the other events, then we need 7 days. 5 (M-F) days for boot camps only and 2 (S-S) for the Con. Those not taking boot camps could attend just the 2 days on the weekend.

Now the last point is much attractive. let the whole con be scheduled for 7 day period while participation can be left on the students. if they do not want to take boot camps they could attend just the 2 days on the weekend and vise versa.

- If we only did keynotes, presentations, hacker contests, etc, I think 2 days is plenty and scheduling the 2 days on a weekend would be preferable to most.- In order to include security boot camps, you MUST reserve 5 days. Most people who have done boot camps are already comfortable with the fact that boot camps are a M-F event. So if the entire Con was only 5 days including bot camps, then we would have to squeeze the keynotes in the morning before class and the presentations and contests in the evenings. Those are some loooooooong days.- But if we want the students to concentrate on studies completely (and have time to sleep), and then also participate in the other events, then we need 7 days. 5 (M-F) days for boot camps only and 2 (S-S) for the Con. Those not taking boot camps could attend just the 2 days on the weekend.

Thoughts and feedback?

Don

Any reason for not doing just a 5-day and running both things simultaneously? Those that want to listen to keynotes/speeches, etc. can, while the others who want to participate in the bootcamps may do so.

That's what we're discussing, whether to have a 2 day event, a 5 day event or a 7 day event.

The 2 day event would be con only.The 5 day event would be training and con simultaneously.The 7 day event would be training and con back to back.

Your description of the 5 day event is correct. My concern is for the students who have to study all day and sometimes all night that still want to participate in the con events. That can be a little much. But you only live once, right? You'll get enough sleep when you die.